Adjustable paddle wheel for dyeing machines



Oct. 21, 1941. w. H. JEFFERIES' ADJUSTABLE PADDLE WHEEL FOR DYEINGMACHINES 2 Sheets -Sheet' 1 Filed Nov. 23, 1940 I I I |||||l| I IlllOct. 21, 1941. w. H. JEFFERIES 2,260,075

ADJUSTABLE PADDLE WHEEL FOR DYEING MACHINES I Filed Nov. 23, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 21, 1941 ADJUSTABLE PADDLE WHEEL FOR DYEINGMACHINES 'William H. J efieries, Moylan, Pa.

Application November 23, 1940, Serial No. 366,839

6 Claims.

My inventionrelates to stirring means for circulating the bath intextile dyeing tanks and particularly to mechanism for adjusting thestirring to different depths of bath.

One purpose of the invention is to accommodate the so-called paddlewheel stirring means Within textile dyeing tanks or baths to verticaladjustment so as to permit the stirring :to be made effective withinpartially filled dye baths.

A further purpose is to mount the paddle wheel and its driving mechanismintended for stirring a bath in a tank upon vertically adjustable guidedmechanism and to lift and lower the Wheel and mechanism as may berequired according to the depth of intended engagement of the paddleswith the bath.

Further purposes will'appear in the 'specifica tion and in the claims. 7I have preferred to illustrate my invention b one form only selecting aform which has been found to be practical, effective and highlysuccessful and which at the same time well illustrates the principlesinvolved.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tank stirring paddle Wheel andmechanism for adjusting the paddle wheel height, embodying my invention.

Figure 1a is a fragmentary side elevation showing a modified form.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the structure seen in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view, partly in section, ofthe structure seen in Figure 2. V

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged section corresponding generally to aportion of Figure 2i.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2to show a detail of :the construction.

In the drawings similar numerals indicate like parts.

In the dyeing of textiles such as the bath dyeing of stockings forexample, it has been common for a great many years to provide a tank orvat .9 with curved bottom It] in which to hold the bath H', includingthe batches of stockings Within the bath, and to stir the bath at thetop by a paddle wheel type of stirrer rotated about a horizontalsupporting shaft 12. The individual paddles dip down far enough into thebath effectively to stir the bath and textile content. This has beenvery successfully applied to stirring a full bath, but has not had ofcourse the same stirring effect when the bath was lowered and has beenincapable of stirring a bath whose level is below the reach oftheipaddles.

There .are many times when a small batch only of stockings, for example,is to be dyed and when a small quantity only of dye liquor is needed tosupply the 'proper quantity ofdye. The dyer normally uses a tank such as:9 having curved bottom wall ID as shown in Figures 1 and 2. When asmall batch is to be dyed he finds it necessary to use a bath of greaterdepth than that which otherwise would be required in order that he mayget the stirring effect of the paddles. He cannot correspondingly dilutethe bath and get the same dyeing'eifeot and as a consequence he mustsupply additional dyeing liquor for the purpose largely, if notentirely, of raising the bath level to a height at which the paddleswill ive the bath proper circulation.

My invention affords quick, easy and effective means for varying theheight of the paddle wheel with respect to the tank and thereby varyingthe 'depth of dip of the paddles into the tank to suit the height of thebath level.

In my invention as illustrated I not only provide in new constructionvariation in the height of the paddle wheel-and therefore in the heightof bath requiredif the bath is properly to be stirred by the paddles,but also offer mechanism which can secure this result to advantage inexisting tanks. v

Where it is intended to supply old tanks with .30 my invention I preferto use a paddle wheel 13 of larger diameter than the paddle wheel whichwas in use previously in the tank, lifting the position of the bearings14 and I5 :of the larger (new) paddle Wheel in normaluse with a fulltank by approximately the distance by which the lengths of the newpaddles I6 exceed the lengths of the paddles of the former wheel. I may,alternatively cut the upper part of the opposite walls I! of the tank torecess thetank at i8-to permit 40 the bearings of the old wheel or of anew but small wheel to go down farther into the tank, as in Figure la,or may use both such means. When applying the invention to existingtanks I prefer to secure my result by using a paddle wheel of largerdiameter than that of the wheel previously used,and to make itadjustable upwardly from a lower limit at which the paddle wheelbearings lie approximately in the same position as the fixed paddlewheel bearings of the present constructions. This is preferred ascompared with having the wheel drop into the tank throughbearing-receiving recesses in the tank wall because the tanksof existingdyeing machines are designed fora normal fnll bath' and 55 content to bedyed makingit undesirable to .cut

its paddles are lifted or lowered to new posieij' tions.

The bearings at one end of the shaft are in-. t Y

terrupted to mount a worm wheel 24 upon the shaft. This worm wheel isengaged byla worm 25 on shaft 26 driven by a pulley 21. The shaft.

turns in suitable bearings 28. The pulley 21 is' driven as shown througha belt 29 from apulley 30 upon the same shaft 3| with the armature ofelectric motor 32. The motor is -mounted upon the slide by bracket 33.

The motor and drive through the worm and worm wheel rotate the paddlewheel whatever the height of adjustment of the wheel.

Near each end of the shaft I2 is located a fitting 34 which passesbeneath the shaft to engage it or its bearings and which is flexiblyconnected as by cord or chain 35 with a drum 3%. The drum may be turnedby hand wheel 31 and is held in its new position by engagement of alatch 38 with a ratchet 39 turning with the drum. The latch swings abouta fixed pin 48. The two drums, one at each side of the tank, and theratchet adjacent one of them are keyed to the same shaft 4|, whichcauses them to rotate together. Each flexible connection 35 is shown aspassing over pulleys 42, 43 supported by any fixed frame member 44 sothat the two slides may be lifted or allowed to lower within theirintended range or adjustment by means of the hand-wheel 31 and latch andratchet 38 and 39.

As thus constructed the paddle wheel in the preferred form is capable ofadjustment from a height at which its bearings rest upon the sides ofthe tank, and at which the paddles have their maximum reach down intothe tank, to stir a bath having a level below normal level, up to aheight at which the paddles engage properly a full bath or even liftclear of the'batheven when the bath is of full quantity.

The height of location of the paddle wheel is determined by thehandwheel and the wheel held by latch 38 fitting into ratchet 39. Thisaffords any predetermined range of adjustment limited in downwardposition by the engagement of the bearings of the paddle wheel with thetop of the tank or with the bottoms of any grooves which it ispermissible to make in the side of the tank, The upper range of movementis that at which the paddles barely make the necessary cont act with thebath when it is full. The depth of adjustment is therefore controlled inlarge measure by the radial length of the paddles.

In whatever position the paddle wheel is set the wheel is driven throughthe motor, pulleys, worm wheel and worm so as to secure the desiredcircumferential speed of stirring paddle engagement with and in thebath. 7

Because the mechanism for rotating the paddle wheel is carried by one ofthe slides there will be proper driving of the paddle wheel in any ofits adjusted positions. Because of the coincident lifting and loweringof the slidesor bearings-of the paddle wheel, the-axisof the wheel willbe kept in parallel positions at all times and may be lifted and loweredwithout regard to whether the wheel be rotating at the time or not. Theratchet mechanism provides for holding the paddle wheel in any of itsadjusted positions.

It will be evident that with the normal (eX- isting) smaller paddlewheel a considerable depth of bath must be supplied so that it has somesuch level as is indicated at A; in order that the paddles may beeffective for the stirring, Whereas with the various additional depthsof paddle extension down into the tank available by adjustment of theposition of the larger wheel the paddles will stir variant depths ofbath such as shown having level B, or level C, and even lower levelswhere the side of the tank is recessed to permit further lowering of thepaddle wheel.

It should be noted also that because of the curved bottom of the bath asmall quantity of bath will occupy a larger maximum depth of tank thanwill a corresponding addition of bath when the bath is more nearly full.As a result the lower level bath does not require as much depth ofimmersion of the paddles for corresponding stirring as is the case whenthe bath level is high.

In operation, the bath is made reasonably proportionate in quantity tothe Volume of textile which is to be dyed, increasing the bath slightlyabove its proportion where the quantity is small. With the bath in placethe paddle wheel is adjusted in height until the paddle blades dip intothe bath to the desired extent. They need not dip quite so deeply into alow bath as into a full bath. The dyeing is then'effected as withexisting tanks and their paddle wheels, the paddle wheel being turnedforstirring as is the present wheel and without regard to the height ofpaddle wheel adjustment In view of my invention and disclosurevariations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular needwill doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtainall or part of the benefits of my invention without copying thestructure shown, and I, therefore; claim all such in so far as they fallwithin the reasonable spiritand scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what'I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: 1

1. In dyeing mechanism a tank adapted to contain a bath, paddle wheelstirring mechanism for the bath, means for lifting the paddle wheel orfor allowing it to lower with respect to-the tank and for holding thewheel at any height in its path of lifting and lowering and a motorgearing lifting and lowering with the paddle wheel, constantly connectedwith the wheel for rotating the paddle wheel to cause it to perform thestirring function.

2. In dyeing mechanism, a tank, paddle wheel means for circulating abath within the tank, guides adjacent opposite walls of the tank, slidesmovable-up and down in the guides,'bearings for the paddle wheel mountedupon the slides, means mounted upon one of the slides for rotating thepaddle wheel and means common to both slides for lifting the slides orfor allowing them -to lower together.

3. In dyeing mechanism, a tank, a paddle wheel stirrer mounted above thetank, adapting its paddles to dip down into the tank and stir the tankcontent, adjusting means for raisingand lowering the paddle wheel bodilyto alter the depth of entry of the paddles into the tank and drivingmechanism including gearing for rotating the wheel, constantly connectedwith the wheel to rotate it at all heights of adjustment of the paddleWheel.

4. In dyeing mechanism, a tank, paddle Wheel means for circulating thebath within the tank, guides upon opposite Walls of the tank, slidesmovable up and down in the guides, bearings for the paddle Wheel mountedupon the slides, means for changing the positions of the slides, androtating mechanism for the paddle wheel including driving mechanism andtransmission mechanism connected with the wheel to rotate the paddlewheel at all heights of slide movement.

5. In dyeing mechanism, a tank adapted to hold a dyeing bath, a paddlewheel having paddles which dip down into the tank, a paddle wheel shaft,bearings for the shaft extending at both shaft ends beyond the walls ofthe tank, slides, one for each end of the shaft, guides secured to thetank walls and controlling the path of movement of the slides, a drumshaft supported upon the tank, drums upon the drum shaft, means forrotating the drum shaft, pulleys supported above the tank walls,flexible connections through the pulleys, one between each drum and oneend of the shaft, whereby rotation of the drum lifts the two slidestogether along with the paddle wheel or allows them to lower, and rotarymeans, connected with the wheel throughout the range of slide movementfor turning the wheel in different positions of height adjustment.

6. In dyeing mechanism, a tank, paddle wheel means for circulating abath within the tank, guides adjacent opposite wall-s of the tank,slides movable up and down in the guides, bearings for the paddle wheelcarried by the slides, a paddle wheel shaft, a worm wheel carried by theshaft, a worm supported from one of the slides engaging the worm wheel,motor driving mechanism for the worm also carried on the slide and meansfor raising the slides together or allowing them to lower.

WILLIAM H. JEFFERIES.

